The bullpen phone worked just fine, Tony La Russa called upon Jason Motte to hold the Rangers down in the top of the ninth inning and Motte did just that. So heading into the last of the ninth inning, with the World Series on the line, the score is Rangers 7, Cardinals 5.

So, just in case you're not looking at a box score right now ...

Albert Pujols will bat in the bottom of the ninth, with his Cardinals desperately needing him to do something big.

Here are the next four hitters in the St. Louis lineup:

Ryan Theriot
Albert Pujols
Lance Berkman
Allen Craig

Berkman and Craig have both homered already tonight.

Pujols ... well, Pujols hit three home runs in Game 3. Otherwise he is utterly hitless in this World Series.

Yeah, right? He's hitless in 16 World Series at-bats, leaving out that sublime Game 3, described by some as the greatest individual performance in World Series history.

None of which means anything, really. It doesn't mean Pujols has choked; it doesn't mean Pujols is due for something impressive.

But someone's going to have to do something impressive, because Neftali Feliz is an excellent pitcher. And so far this month, he's pitched 10⅓ innings and given up three hits and one measly run.